Pre-existing low-back symptoms impact adversely on sitting time reduction in office workers
© 2017, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. Objectives: Initiatives to reduce office-workplace sitting are proliferating, but the impact of pre-existing musculoskeletal symptoms on their effectiveness has not been determined. We assessed the influence of musculoskeletal symptoms on the outcomes of a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Springer
2017
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/63225 |
| _version_ | 1848761028207181824 |
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| author | Coenen, P. Healy, Genevieve Winkler, E. Dunstan, D. Owen, N. Moodie, M. LaMontagne, A. Eakin, E. Straker, Leon |
| author_facet | Coenen, P. Healy, Genevieve Winkler, E. Dunstan, D. Owen, N. Moodie, M. LaMontagne, A. Eakin, E. Straker, Leon |
| author_sort | Coenen, P. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | © 2017, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. Objectives: Initiatives to reduce office-workplace sitting are proliferating, but the impact of pre-existing musculoskeletal symptoms on their effectiveness has not been determined. We assessed the influence of musculoskeletal symptoms on the outcomes of a workplace sitting intervention. Methods: Baseline and 3-month data from a cluster-randomized controlled trial of a workplace sitting intervention (Stand Up Victoria; trial registration number ACTRN12611000742976) were used. Office workers (n = 231) from 14 work teams within one organisation were randomised (by worksite) to a multicomponent program with individual-, organisational-, and environmental-level (sit-stand workstations) change strategies; or, to a control condition (no intervention). Musculoskeletal symptoms in the low-back, upper and lower extremities (present/absent) were assessed through self-report. Linear regression models tested the moderation by baseline musculoskeletal symptoms of intervention effects on workplace sitting and standing time and on sitting and standing bout durations, assessed by the activPAL3™ activity monitor. Results: There were significant reductions in sitting and increased standing at work (p <  0.05). However, effects varied significantly by the presence of pre-existing low-back (but not other) symptoms, with greater benefit being seen in those without symptoms. Effects on sitting time and sitting bout duration were weaker in those with low-back symptoms compared to those without by 34.6 [95% CI (0.9; 68.3)] min/8-h workday and 5.1 [95% CI (0.2; 9.9)] min, respectively. Comparable effects were seen for standing. Conclusion: Low-back symptoms may impact on the extent to which office workers change their workplace sitting and standing time. A prudent next step to improve the effectiveness of workplace sitting-reduction initiatives such as Stand Up Victoria may be to assess and address the needs of those who displayed comparatively limited behaviour change, namely those with pre-existing low-back discomfort. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:25:09Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-63225 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:25:09Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Springer |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-632252018-02-06T06:23:09Z Pre-existing low-back symptoms impact adversely on sitting time reduction in office workers Coenen, P. Healy, Genevieve Winkler, E. Dunstan, D. Owen, N. Moodie, M. LaMontagne, A. Eakin, E. Straker, Leon © 2017, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. Objectives: Initiatives to reduce office-workplace sitting are proliferating, but the impact of pre-existing musculoskeletal symptoms on their effectiveness has not been determined. We assessed the influence of musculoskeletal symptoms on the outcomes of a workplace sitting intervention. Methods: Baseline and 3-month data from a cluster-randomized controlled trial of a workplace sitting intervention (Stand Up Victoria; trial registration number ACTRN12611000742976) were used. Office workers (n = 231) from 14 work teams within one organisation were randomised (by worksite) to a multicomponent program with individual-, organisational-, and environmental-level (sit-stand workstations) change strategies; or, to a control condition (no intervention). Musculoskeletal symptoms in the low-back, upper and lower extremities (present/absent) were assessed through self-report. Linear regression models tested the moderation by baseline musculoskeletal symptoms of intervention effects on workplace sitting and standing time and on sitting and standing bout durations, assessed by the activPAL3™ activity monitor. Results: There were significant reductions in sitting and increased standing at work (p <  0.05). However, effects varied significantly by the presence of pre-existing low-back (but not other) symptoms, with greater benefit being seen in those without symptoms. Effects on sitting time and sitting bout duration were weaker in those with low-back symptoms compared to those without by 34.6 [95% CI (0.9; 68.3)] min/8-h workday and 5.1 [95% CI (0.2; 9.9)] min, respectively. Comparable effects were seen for standing. Conclusion: Low-back symptoms may impact on the extent to which office workers change their workplace sitting and standing time. A prudent next step to improve the effectiveness of workplace sitting-reduction initiatives such as Stand Up Victoria may be to assess and address the needs of those who displayed comparatively limited behaviour change, namely those with pre-existing low-back discomfort. 2017 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/63225 10.1007/s00420-017-1223-1 Springer restricted |
| spellingShingle | Coenen, P. Healy, Genevieve Winkler, E. Dunstan, D. Owen, N. Moodie, M. LaMontagne, A. Eakin, E. Straker, Leon Pre-existing low-back symptoms impact adversely on sitting time reduction in office workers |
| title | Pre-existing low-back symptoms impact adversely on sitting time reduction in office workers |
| title_full | Pre-existing low-back symptoms impact adversely on sitting time reduction in office workers |
| title_fullStr | Pre-existing low-back symptoms impact adversely on sitting time reduction in office workers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pre-existing low-back symptoms impact adversely on sitting time reduction in office workers |
| title_short | Pre-existing low-back symptoms impact adversely on sitting time reduction in office workers |
| title_sort | pre-existing low-back symptoms impact adversely on sitting time reduction in office workers |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/63225 |